The Opposite Sides of Metalcore - The Devil Wears Prada + Eletric Callboy Dual Album Review

The Devil Wears Prada; one of the biggest bands to survive "Crabcore". With the unique combination of Jeremy DePoyster delivering smooth clean vocals and Mike Hrancia who is very raspy and strained in his vocal approach. The band seemed to evolve with each release; garnered huge praise for their album With Roots Above and Branches Below. Although the biggest releases of the band is their EP work in Zombie, Space, and ZII. Album wise, the band has been very up and down. They have made some well-written songs; some of them feel like they drag/take a lot of time to build. There felt like a lot of filler or "more of the same" coming from each tracklist. Bringing us to Color Decay, the band's 8th studio album. The singles for the album were all eye-catching and promising. The first taste of the album in Sacrifice and Watchtower which might be some of the best TDWP tracks released. These songs have fantastic energy live. The head banging riffs and the great performances by Jeremy and Mike as they sound better than ever. Watchtower ends on a slowed down rendition of the main riff that is chill inducing but was also part of one of the biggest wall of deaths I have seen live! That isn't even mentioning the more anthemic singles in Time and Salt. Time immediately caught my attention with a chorus that flows into a whirlwind with a jarring and heavy guitar riff with galloping drums accenting it. The odd thing about the song is the almost "edm-esque" buildup from pre-chorus line with building drums into a guitar riff. Feels unconventional but with the chorus being repeated 4 times here, it doesn't stick with me as much as other songs after an album listen. Not an unnecessary track but not one I would immediately go back to. On the other hand, Salt has a memorable progression building to the chorus with booming toms up to a quick cut with Jeremy's voice engraing the chorus in your head on top of some great songwriting; "All of our words only mean what's behind them". Even from the start of the album, this feels like a rejuvenated band with the pedal to the floor pace and thick guitar riffs in Exhibition. Thematically, the band tackles different interpretations of depression. "I think I'll keep it inside, stitch it up and wear it with pride." Engines hiss = China. It is an excellent introduction with the attention to detail production like a china mimicing a hissing sound after the breakdown callout "fight the engine's hiss". A quick jolt of a song to remind you The Devil Wears Prada are metalcore royalty. The other highlights really just come in succession as each song feels refreshed, innovative and impactful. Halfway through the album, Broken stands out with a big skyscraper chorus and a Hair-raising bridge that naturally transcends the song. This album has been shaping up as a wonderful showcase of Jeremy's talents. The duo knows the perfect formula for a beautiful and melancholic atmosphere. Feels like a continuation to Noise where everything you have worried about comes to life; the struggle to tread water as long as you can. At this point, this is some of the best succession of TDWP songs (not including ZII) that have been expectational! THEN! Trapped comes on and the band has stated this to be their best song and I can't argue against it; it is wonderful through and through. It flips the perspective to someone on the outside with strong lyrics, "I hate that you're being trapped by your issues but I'm here with you." Never overworks the theme and has a bigger heart than a lot of metalcore songs that deal with mental health. Followed by the heartbreak in Twenty-Five is a big achievement for Mike Hrancia on the album; a track he has stated he does not want to hear again. An emotionally charged song with strained vocals on lines such as "How could you wanna leave? Put down, just a memory" or "Know I tried everything; but I'm not what you wanted" built up into a bombastic ending that tickles your throat and sends chills down your spine. There is a low point here for me in Fire. This song feels more like an interlude signaling the end of the album with Jeremy carrying here on a simple echoing drumbeat and lo-fi production asking if there was a way to rediscover the fire and passion inside of you. Nothing that stands out apart from progressing the album but is ultimately the blandest entry on the record.

The last two songs on the album are just as consistent as the rest of the album. Hallucinate has some grit to it on the vicious guitars and strong bass lines. The band puts together a very dark song both instrumentally and lyrically. The use of "trap" bass on the second verse and the headbanging breakdown really is in spirit to the Zombie EPs, the band's heaviest material. Finally, The Devil Wears Prada ends this album with a gut punch to leave you on the ground. Cancer is very cathartic in its approach but really might be the most thought provoking and emotionally moving song on here especially with the brutally heart breaking chorus line, "I hope that it's cancer; and not something else. Cause I don't need any more thing I don't wanna talk about." It is impressive how consistently great Color Decay is. It will be and should be recognized as a top album in the genre for this year which is deserved with a powerhouse of a record from the metalcore outfit.

88% Best: Trapped, Broken, Watchtower, Cancer, Hallucinate Least Favorite: Fire

Electric Callboy is a one of a kind electronic metalcore outfit from Germany. The band has been around for over ten years now but have skyrocketed in fame with their recent viral singles like Hypa Hypa that was auditioned for Eurovision, that would've been a total fever dream. The songs are worthy of it with nonstop energy and hilarious lyrics that combine for a 24/7 party. The singles each had their own little circles with vibrant music videos put together with the same amount of effort as the music itself. Pump It continues a precedent set by Hypa Hypa, strong verses, audience centered chorus and hilarious outfits straight out of a powerlifting parody with lines like "Just look at my glutes, what a perfect butt." or "Activating motherfuckin beast mode!" but it has the energy of a legitimate workout heater! A great start to an energetic album. Next, We Got the Moves while not my favorite song; It copies a lot of party songs extremely tongue-in-cheek but I find everything about the song to be a little derivate and really trying to almost the exact same style of track after Pump It. The funniest moments on the album come from Tekkno Train + Hurrikan. "Shaky Shaky sweaty sweaty, you make my spaghetti ready" setting this as the funniest set of lines on the album with a hysterical "Choo Choo Choo" section that was so unexpected and fitting to Electric Callboy. While Hurrikan parodies German "schlager" music. The music is not only hilarious but is extremely well done till it goes totally left field. Developing into a wild and hilarious breakdown with outlandish screeching and growls.....Just go watch the music video.

The album tracks down especially with Fuckboi featuring Conquer Divide. The cold streak continues into some cringy lyrics to mimic the "new pop-punk" sound but feels no different than a collab between Avirl Lavinge and Machine Gun Kelly. Performance wise, it is up to standards but feels too basic to standout. Parasite feels similar in the aspect of very generic electronic production set form the 2000s and lyrics that just result in a bland song overall. Finally, Neon closes with an interesting but ends anti-climatic. With lyrics like "But I love to thank you, All I wanted was to be with you" but I think instrumentally it suffered from using metal riffs, the band has already proven they are capable of using great electronic production and I think it would've set this song apart.

My highlights of the album come from Spaceman and Arrow of Love. Both songs have absurd lyrics "I give you love, shoot it right into your face" and "I'm Spaceman, got a rocket on my back." the deilvery of huge riffs and anthemic choruses feels fresh and really stands on their own. In Spaceman, the album continues to surprise with a very jarring change with the inclusion of German artist, FiNCH who raps German bars through the verses opposite of the screams and chugging chorus. Tekkno overall is a very entertaining and replayable album, not perfect by any means but complete fun even if it is sometimes dumb fun.

70% Best: Spaceman, Arrow of Love, Pump It, Tekkno Train Least Favorite: Fuckboi, Parasite, We Got the Moves